


Almost Summer '89

by cloudfactories



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Age Difference, Comfort/Angst, Falling In Love, Implied Sexual Content, Infidelity, Inspired by Call Me By Your Name, M/M, Romance, Slow Burn, based in the 80s
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:27:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24250561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cloudfactories/pseuds/cloudfactories
Summary: In the hustle-bustle, of Jaehyun's recalcitrant life, he finds himself held back by the entrance of the overly amiable regular summer guest of his father's, Johnny. Among the summer plastered roads of his small hometown, futile conversation and burning grazes of skin, Jaehyun and Johnny discover themselves being inebriated by each other's intoxicating presence.
Relationships: Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Suh Youngho | Johnny
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	Almost Summer '89

**Author's Note:**

> ⦾ lots to unravel here, but the following story is inspired by call me by your name. it will contain references to the movie, book 1 and 2 but not so much as to completely and blatantly copy the scenes from the movie. as a result, there will be major changes in the overall plot and the flow of the story.  
> ⦾ if you've read CMBYN or have watched the movie, great job and you can continue with the story. but for those who haven't experienced it yet, i suggest you should do the above before continuing since there can be spoilers which can ruin the experience for you.  
> ⦾the locations that are described here are the same as the movie, but i have not titled it with any specific names because i am not familiar with the places myself. so, it would be best if you would imagine the location portrayed in the movie.  
> ⦾ plus, the Nana here isn't Jaemin. But, as in short for Nanny.

The lofty man had taken sanctuary on Jaehyun’s bed, limbs askew and head rested against the cotton threads of his pillow. Jaehyun couldn’t help but trace how his back rose with every silent breath, fingers curled on the sides and tall legs he had, fallen slightly off the edge of the bed. His skin glowed, under the blessings of the rays of the sun that escaped among the sheer curtain of the window. The summer began to skirt closer, taking hold of the verdant grass overflowing gardens and apricots that only seemed to hue orange under the shadow of its own branches.

Warmth flew across Jaehyun’s face, as he whispered somberly, “I guess my room is your room now.” There was no answer from the lethargic man, only a few grumbles as he drifted off to snoring dreamland. Jaehyun didn’t leave a glance at his toppled body, and fitted his eyes on the flushed out pads of his feet. Tearing his eyes away, he saw himself out of the cringing door, wondering how much time was there until he would see the man out of his room.

That morning of April, as Jaehyun devoured his eggs, and swirled his spoon disinterestedly along the brimming soup his Nana had made, his father was rambling about how laudable the man was. Johnny, 35 years old, from the outskirts of Chicago, had contacted his father, in order to visit their part of Italy for a small research. As generous his father was, he hung up the call without a single disagreement and had announced under the largess shadow of the apricot tree that bestowed upon them the breakfast table, that he would be arriving at any moment.

Jaehyun, of course, irked by the sudden intrusion of a stranger at their home couldn’t gather up a smile to throw at his father. Yes, it was part of his father’s work and the man would only be there for the fluttering time of the summer and would be back by the end of June. However, that couldn’t satiate the growing discomfort upon hearing that he would have to share his bedroom with him while staying at the congested store-room beside.

“At least, Johnny would bring some joviality to this gargantuan house. Don’t be so sophomoric.” Jaehyun’s mother said, as his father bobbed his head in an acquisition. Now, don’t misunderstand upon the mere fact that he was acting severely childish. But, Jaehyun only wanted that summer to spend alone, under the apricot tree, lavishing in glasses of fruit juice while sneaking up behind Nana to abruptly interrupt her from cooking and finally, take his girlfriend’s reticence of sexuality.

What laid on his table were scampering papers of musical notes, the ones he dwelt on to complete before the months of Spring finished. It was just scribbles of self-composed scripts, although it held most of his pride, as his father would often announce to perform them at spontaneous dinner parties. Jaehyun sat there, wandering his eyes around the congested room, as the window in front of his table was scrambled open, letting the gentle breeze flutter through.

He knew he would have to get used to it. The lack of two beds, which he would sometimes squeeze close and use it to its full capacity for his toss and turns. While the single bed, which Nana’s husband used often for his own, was lent to him to sleep through despite Jaguar’s(his dog) howls at night. Or the simple jammed room, filled with useless paraphernalia that would, without doubt, add up to his discomfort of not wanting to move to that room in the first place. However, the only thing that provoked his stubbornness was the fact, the guest would be taking sanctuary in his room, which was only separated by a longitude bathroom, which obviously they had used together.

At the eminent height of his room, swiping over the porch, he scrutinized the exchange of introductions in between the guest and his parents, unraveling with great interest. His parents laughed unreasonably, complimenting the impressively tall guest, mentioning how much they had been waiting for him. The guest only complimented those remarks with a nod, a grin stretched on his shrewd visage, as the ruddy cheeks rose simultaneously. While his features gave a gaunt presentation, the feline smile or the particularly unique drowsy eyes didn’t go missed under Jaehyun’s close eyes. Jaehyun was regurgitated by how the prominent mules of his arms stood out from the yellow gingham shirt of his or how short his cargo was. 

Not that Jaehyun cared necessarily, because most of the time he would be bare himself. Adorning no clothes at all, was one of the styles he owned along with floral trunks that hung low on his hips.

“Oh no, I doubt it…”The gravelly voice of the guest echoed low, as they walked to his father’s study room. Jaehyun turned back, throwing a look over his shoulder, as the sight of his girlfriend propped up on her elbow, hair over her clothed shoulder and waved against the mattress with a copy of Jane Austen hovered over his face became highlighted, contrasting the shadow of his own over her.

“You think he is arrogant like the other American’s are?” Jaehyun prodded, as his girlfriend, clearly engrossed in the dramatic prose of literature, hummed disinterestedly.

“I don’t know what you want me to say, Jaehyun.” She said later, closing her book shut, before angling her eyes from the bed to him, “Might be. Yes, it is disappointing that you have to give away your bed but that doesn’t mean he is snatching it away from you.”

“It’s not that. It’s just comfort that I will be at loss of.”

“Sure.” His girlfriend, named Valentino, shrugged as she combed her hair with her fingers, “Ferrio has such fantasy of fucking an arrogant man. She told me.”

“Ferrio has all sorts of bizarre fantasy, I don’t want my ears on,” Jaehyun stated, as his sight panned to the light grass, Nana’s husband stumped, while picking the fresh apricots for lunch. Jaehyun was tired, of the unceasing presence of apricot juiced over at the dinner table as his senses would be overwhelmed with the sweet smell wafting from it.

“Let’s go and give our greetings. Don’t want to be seen as par as the American’s. They must think we are scheming something here.” She quipped, plopping off the bed on her toes, before padding across the room and coiling her arms around Jaehyun’s upper chest. 

During Jaehyun’s 17 years of life, he had met beaucoup crowds of people, one of which he never ought to remember. They weren’t worth enough to hog space in Jaehyun’s mind, to which sometimes his thoughts would travel to. Almost all summer, there would be at least a person paying their visit upon his Dad’s plea. Sometimes, it would be the guest’s own decision and spontaneity that they would come running to their villa, in search of satiation.

But, all of the bustles that the guests’ would bring with them failed to incite the loquaciousness of Jaehyun’s. They would always prod, marking and pinning questions to him that he had no wish to answer. His father would tug him to play the piano, and join them at tedious dinners, feigning to ingratiate and mutter pragmatic quips, of a conversation he wanted to stray away from. Not to say his father was demanding, but sometimes the enamour of his own personality kept the burden of Jaehyun to be the best he could ever-present.

As he climbed down the stairs, his hand wrapped tightly around his girlfriend’s, he knew what was about to throw on his face. Some tight smiles, an amiable handshake, American ‘Hello’s to which with a perfect accent, Jaehyun would reciprocate with a greeting. His father would tell him to stay and accompany them for a cup of tea but he would refuse. He would say that he had an urgent rendezvous to attend to and prudently sneak away with his girlfriend and make out beside the river.

However, as much Jaehyun had expected it, none of it actually happened. His father's workroom, as usual, cluttered with books and portraits of Greek statues, otherwise awfully tedious, suddenly seemed filled to the brim with a rhythmic laughter. The arrogance lifted in the air only to vanish, as it broke their sturdy impression of the man. Johnny, mother and father riveted their attention from each other, on the couple standing there, wearing blank faces. 

Johnny was taller, impressively taller, owning an inch or two over Jaehyun. He was awed, by the friendliness Johnny effortlessly executed, as he inched his hand for a handshake and asked his name. Jaehyun met his rough palm, scratches painted along his thumb (the scars of tuning a guitar) and rolled out his name so inaudibly that Johnny had to ask one more time. 

“Jaehyun. My name is Jaehyun.” He said, and Johnny laughed again unreasonably. The edge of Jaehyun’s lips quivered, as to how much he couldn’t reproach the man’s behaviour in any way because, inexplicably, he felt different. Not that Jaehyun had a particular truncate for the guest that fluttered through the entrance, but he could feel Johnny was a keeper. 

Jaehyun studied his mother’s stricken face, scrutinizing Johnny from his too-short cargo shorts and gingham shirt, and Jaehyun knew his mother was already so fond of Johnny’s natural propriety. His girlfriend tip-toed to exchange a kiss from Johnny, as the latter asked her name too. Jaehyun’s girlfriend giggled and answered in visible shyness.

Jaehyun was feeling shy too, under the shadow of such a man, but he wouldn’t admit it. 

“Oh, I’m very tired,” Johnny said, massaging his neck. Seemed like his father was disappointed as the casual tea time would probably be delayed.

“Jaehyun…”His mother asked softly, “Please take Johnny to your room.” She turned to Johnny and said, “Please rest and join us for dinner.”

“Of course! As much as I love a good sleep, I can’t wait for dinner. Also, to know you all.” Johnny smiled, gesticulating with floundering limbs as Jaehyun still had the taut smile on his face. Jaehyun schemed of how much he had to modulate to Johnny’s liking, because after all, he was their precious guest. 

As they ascended up the stairs, after waving his parents and his girlfriend a goodbye, he craned his neck to meet Jaehyun’s profile and inquired, “Are summers here always this hot? I’m perspiring so much.”

Yes, it was evident, how much his sweat blotted his shirt, as his skin peeked under the then-translucent clothing. But, Jaehyun, diverted his eyes away, focusing on his bare feet.

“Well, yes but you will get used to it gradually.” 

Johnny hummed, constantly fluttering the edge of his collar to ventilate the warmness that manifested on him. Jaehyun, ignored his prominent presence, as he silently directed him to his room, the sunlight creeping in, reaching the tip of their toes. Johnny, averted his eyes from the open window, the cool breeze sticking to his skin, to the comfort the bed was luring. Without a word, he jumped on the bed, and laid face down and hands spread across. 

Jaehyun was left awkwardly, standing at the door jamb, as he watched Johnny toss and turn before his eyes drooped closed and his chest rose and fell with each breath he took. He was totally knocked out, and to his defence, the rigorous journey from Chicago ought to make anyone cripple with exhaustion. Jaehyun would know, since he had spent a hefty 4 years in New York, explaining his proficiency in communicating with Johnny, with his accented English. 

Johnny’s shirt rode upon his back, revealing the dips of his back and the slope of his hips. The pants pulled low unconsciously to the edge of the back of his knees, as Jaehyun swiped over his legs, he could see the prickled hair standing on his skin, He didn’t want to continue ripping Johnny of his solitary, so he made his way to the other side (his temporary bedroom) through the bathroom, that partitioned in between the two rooms. 

Ever so slightly, and with utmost denial to himself, Jaehyun would look over his shoulder to see, from the small gap of the ajar door, to look at Johnny. Whether he had turned sideways, whether the bed was too petite for his fit, or whether he had woken up and was looking for him. The scripts on his hand were detached from his attention and the dispassionate scribbles he wrote in a haste, were useless. All his thoughts wandered around his room, like the warmth that grew on Johnny’s then naked body. His shirt on the floor, and pants in disarray around his waist.

Jaehyun felt bizarrely disturbed, so he deemed it would be better if he could also lose himself to slumber and be awake by dinner. Alike to Johnny, he hopped on the bed and laid face down with his legs and arms stretched, and let the sleep take hold of him. When he knew the drowsiness wouldn’t come so easily in that uncomfortable posture, he shaped his body into a curling fetus position and wondered about the summer ahead in the accompany of the American until the blurred scenes of New York pulled him close to a deep slumber

  
  


By the time, the sky had curtailed from its azure blue to a darker hue, Jaehyun was disrupted from his confusion of dreams by the holler of Nana on the other side of the closed door. Nana, knocked successively on the iron door, jolting him up from his lengthy stretched dream. Jaehyun, sat up straight, craning his neck to stare at the wide-open window, the shutter hinging crazily under the influence of the strong winds. 

The only perk of having Nana’s room as his own was the window that entailed the reek of apricots, the green of trees looming inside from the window sill, blessing the room in a spring that Jaehyun had never experienced. 

Well, summers and springs both had its expense.

With sweat-drenched shirts, thigh ridden shorts and skinny dipping at the nearby coast naked, it was as if the days would never shorten. The nights only seemed to last an hour, at least, that was how it felt to Jaehyun. But with Johnny around, Jaehyun wondered…how would the summers turn out to be?

With eyes half-covered by the door jamb, Jaehyun managed to steal a glance at the lethargic stranger sprawled on his bed. His pants were still holding on to his waist, the dip of his back glint under the shimmers of the moonlights that crept through the open window, and somehow Jaehyun couldn’t erase that sight even after he had closed the door to his room. Even when he was downstairs, drinking and gobbling down his dinner, Nana had come to say that Johnny wouldn’t be able to join dinner.

“He asked me to construct an excuse for you.” said Nana, after clicking her tongue, “But his tiredness was enough of it as it was.”

“Well, he can join for an early breakfast tomorrow, can’t he?” Jaehyun’s mother chuckled, “Now, don’t be so disappointed, Nana.” 

Nana wasn’t disappointed by the prominent absence of the American guest, but simply let down by the wastage of the feast he had created for him. Jaehyun sympathized, unknowingly, desiring a discourse with the man that seemed so distant yet so unnervingly familiar. With a couple of minutes long conversation, Jaehyun had the yearning of wanting to talk, to call his name and needle everything about him.

But he wanted to keep the curiosity to himself. 

“Dad, when is the American going back to well, America?” Jaehyun asked, as one of the noodle strings caught up on the bottom of his lips. His mother, who was sitting beside him, sighed and helped to wipe the droplets of soup and the stray noodle string from his skin. 

“He just came.” His dad grumbled, “Plus, Jaehyun…American man has a name. It is Johnny and you should learn how to address him respectfully. You are not a teenager anymore and you should act like it. These spontaneous tantrums aren’t going to get you anywhere.”

“I am not throwing a tantrum.” Jaehyun defended, looking at his mother as a means of escape. His mother, likewise his father, dismissed his words as another pointless fit. 

“Also, Jaehyun, you should play the piano when I ask you to. Mr.Marco will be coming tomorrow and it would be best if you could join us for tea, and wear the shirt he bought you last time. I am not accepting any excuse.”

“Mom…”Jaehyun yet again looked at his mother, whose porcelain skin had been illuminated under the golden bulb that hung above them. Her wrinkled deepened as she grimaced, biting her lips as he elicited another heave of exhaustion. 

“Jung, give him some space, would you?” Her mother said, as she let her hand caress Jaehyun’s back soothingly, “He will only play the piano for Johnny, tomorrow, as per your request. But let him off the hook for the tea time. That old man is as annoying as a pest.”

“Fine.” Jaehyun took a breath in relief that he hadn’t had to bust his all for another tea session, “But, Jaehyun, be at your best for Johnny? He is only here for the summer and that’s it.”

Summer and that’s it…Jaehyun couldn’t wait to count down all the days until Johnny would be nothing but an irking memory.

Now, as the next morning broke over Jaehyun’s rusty knuckles and exhausted lower limbs, Johnny was down at the breakfast table, prating about something incomprehensible. Jaehyun could hear his mother’s audible rhythmic guffaws and his father’s praises resounding throughout the household. Jaehyun tore himself off his bedpost and scratched his bare belly while the screeches were growing wildly annoying. As Jaehyun stood up from the bed, he pulled his trunk high up at his waist, and decided to scrutinize the scene from Nana’s window. 

Pulling the sheer curtains to the side, he could see them circled around the breakfast table, Jaehyun’s own chair empty beside Johnny. Johnny stood up like a sore thumb, due to his height that could never stop intimidating Jaehyun. It earned Johnny the sobriquet of “skyscraper legs”, but Jaehyun only shared it within himself and with his girlfriend. He could see Johnny wearing his signature grin, the one he saw when he first met him, the phoney kindness oozing through his ajar lips. 

Jaehyun took a deep breath to himself, as he wore worn-out, acid-washed jeans and a loose-fitting tee and ran down the stairs to join them for breakfast. If he had been late, he could have experienced his father’s wrath, which would have been too embarrassing in front of the guest. Also, noting that Jaehyun had yet to make an impression.

When Jaehyun had made his way to the table, he could feel Johnny’s eyes following until he had pulled the chair to sit beside him. His parents muttered a “Good Morning” in unison and Jaehyun replied the same and quipped one at Johnny too. There was an unreasonable chuckle echoing from the side as Johnny tried his best to pronounce an Italian greeting. Probably, something he picked up from those travelling books, Jaehyun pondered. 

“Oh, chocolate!” Jaehyun heard his mother screech in awe, as Jaehyun looked up from his sandwich to the small wrapping paper held in between Johnny’s fingers, “Did you bring those from home?”

“Well, I always have a craving for chocolates right after I wake up. People drink water the first thing in the morning or lemon water, as I have heard. But I always prefer a sweet treat to start my day and then move on to breakfast. A habit I had since I was a kid.”

Immature, Jaehyun said to himself as he went on gobbling down his spongy bread. 

“How did that habit come to be? It is for sure, an unique one.”

“Oh…”Johnny bit down the bar of chocolate from the corner, and it seemed he wouldn’t continue to devour it except from that bite, “My father had a great sweet tooth, and he always ought to have chocolates after each meal. I guess it rubbed off on me.”

“That is very sweet.” Jaehyun’s mother laughed as she lent Johnny a piece of an apricot from her plate. She had been slicing apricots as she always did every morning. She also gave Jaehyun one, but he dismissed the offer with a wave. She didn’t press on him and before she could take the piece back, Johnny took it from her hand. 

When Jaehyun finally took the courage to look at Johnny from his side, he could see the crease of his skin as the smile stayed sewed on his lips. It was very surprising to see him so jolly every instance, and it made Jaehyun uncomfortable. As Jaehyun had suspected, the chocolate was only bitten from the top and the rest was uneaten and forgotten on the table. It was a Terry’s Twilight, and Jaehyun remembered eating one during those years in New York. 

It was Jaehyun’s favourite. 

Johnny brushed his fingers to rub off the crumbles of the toast, as he engaged in a literature conversation with his father. Johnny had a plethora of literature favourites and it seemed his father was so engrossed in the conversation that he hadn’t answered any of his mother’s call of his names. His father loved arguments about old Greek literature transcripts and if it included any disagreement from the other party on his opinion, it enraged him more into proving his statement.

Johnny was carefree in dismissing his father’s opinions as he continued strengthening his own, which only elevated his father’s interest. The breakfast only consisted of mindless quibbles, as Jaehyun drifted off to his trance of thoughts. Before it escalated further, his mother fortunately halted it with one of her own excuses. 

“I heard you needed to wire some money back home?” His mother said, and Johnny nodded. His breakfast was reduced to only crumbles as droplets of apricot juice clung to the empty glass. Jaehyun didn’t have much appetite to finish his own. He was waiting for breakfast to end, so he could finally put a stop to feigned politeness and meet his friends at the coast. She must have been waiting for hours now, and he didn’t like making someone wait for him. 

“Oh, yes. Glad you reminded me.” Johnny said and asked about the location about the bank and the formalities he might have to complete to send some money back home. Jaehyun unknowingly listened to his father explaining and weirdly yearned for a call his way. An excuse that could finally let him free from the confinements of the breakfast table. The smell of apricots was eventually setting in on his shoulders and he despised it.

“Why don’t you accompany Johnny to the bank?” His father finally looked at him and Johnny did too, with that annoying smile still stuck on his lips like a fucking clown. Jaehyun shrugged, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to meet his friends freely until that jester of a guest would be finally out of sight. Up until then, he could at least comply with his father’s orders.

“Here.” The table was cleaned, the stained plates were piled upon each other as Nana cleared the rest of the dishes with a frown. Johnny had gifted him the rest of the uneaten chocolate, and that time his smile failed to reach his eyes. There wasn’t that unsettling friendliness in his tone, but a sincere one. It somehow appeased Jaehyun’s discomfort, as he peered into Johnny’s folded fist, eager to see what he might offer him. But it would have been the best if he didn’t expect it.

As Johnny’s fingers bloomed to reveal the crumpled up, half-devoured chocolate from before, Jaehyun’s posture deflated. He could only question the intentions behind the unenthusiastic and meaningless offering. The least he could do was to offer a new one, from who knows how many stacks of chocolates he had hidden away.

“What for?” Jaehyun picked up with apparent disliking of the crumbled up wrapper. He took it only to show amiability that was lacking. 

“Oh, just because.” Johnny shrugged, but that time there was no irking laughter emitted from the man, “Plus, you had been staring at the chocolate long before I had eaten it so I thought I might save you some. Sorry, I took a bite.”

“No problem. I didn’t realize I was staring.” Jaehyun said sheepishly, looking up to avoid the man’s piercing stare. The sun had been showering its rays in between the cluster of leaves of the apricot tree, hitting directly on Jaehyun’s eyelids. It stung, and as soon as that he swung his neck down to look at his bare feet digging in the cold grass. 

“Are we going to bike to the bank? How much do you think the journey ought to take?” Johnny asked as he followed Jaehyun to the back of the house, where his and Nana’s bike was kept resting, “Your dad was being very persistent about me wanting to meet Mr.Marco. I think I must hurry back.”

“Oh…” Jaehyun turned back half-way and he walked backwards with a lazy smile hanging on his lips, “…It wouldn’t take much time. 15 or so.”When he reached the wall, where the bike was laid against, he simply stationed the vehicle by hauling it off. Keying in the locks, he curled his hand around the handles and gave it a tightened turn.

“Take it easy.” Jaehyun said after a while, “You don’t have to create an impression.”

“I don’t have to…”Johnny added as he picked up Nana’s bike, which Nana reluctantly let Johnny borrow, “I want to.”

“That’s on you, then.” 

As they rode on each other's bikes, Jaehyun led the way, cycling his legs up and forth the pedals. On the other hand, Johnny slowly followed him suit, as he took his time, scrutinizing the settings where the sun-blessed it’s way, colouring it in its own shade of golden hue. The streets were rough and pebbled against their bike, as the light summer breeze grazed their cheeks and without knowing, Jaehyun could not help but look behind his shoulder if Johnny was still following him. He was not worried; he shouldn’t be. 

Hiking up to the urban area of the town, where the banks were located, was much more difficult than assumed. Jaehyun had to make a detour through the short-cuts, pass by dodgy parlours and cycle back to the main middle of a four-way street. He did have to validate his previous and utterly careless statement which said, “It would only take a 15” because it took way more than that. Now there left a frequented bookstore, some cafes and the availability of banks was enormous. Jaehyun didn’t make time to visit that part of town, because he would mostly spend his time on the other side, which was the coast. Plus, staying home was a permanent part of his regime, because as lazy he was, he didn’t want to make an effort to travel somewhere and quench his thirst with a couple of commercialized coffee.

Johnny stretched his legs over the bike and got off the bike, Jaehyun followed suit. In the hubbub of the centre of the town, Johnny found himself bewildered by the onslaught of the town’s people hanging around carelessly around the roundabout road, as per Jaehyun noticed. A statue of a fox, and it seemed to be hovering over carved infants. Johnny furrowed his brows, and imitated Jaehyun’s posture as the latter looked for the bank his father had written directions to prior. 

“I bet if we make it right, we ought to find it there. I haven’t been here in so long so pardon me if I get ourselves lost. And the crowd-”

“Don’t worry about it.” Johnny said with a flutter of his hand, “Where do you visit usually? I heard from your mom, that you were greatly fond of the coast.”

Jaehyun once had curled his hand around the handle of his bike, as Johnny did so, and tugged the vehicle beside them as they walked. He chuckled, as he craned his neck to look at Johnny but was caught off-guard once he saw Johnny was looking at him so intently, that it felt awfully burdening. He snapped his eyes back on his flip-flops, intending to string the answer, so as not to bore him. 

“I…usually hang around with my friends.”

“Valentino…right? She is your girlfriend.”

“Well, yes. Her too. I, most of the time, write scripts because I always had this aspiration to become a theatre actor. I used to live in New York-”

“Oh yes…” Johnny exclaimed with realization, “I heard from your father. No wonder your pronunciation is so flawless. I was a bit surprised yesterday. I bet I hid it well.”

As Jaehyun steered his bike right, Johnny did the same but for not once, he removed his eyes from Jaehyun’s profile. He was engrossed deeply, nodding to each of Jaehyun’s words and replying with what he could. Jaehyun liked it, the conversation among the scorching heat of the sun, the inaudible mutters of the crowd and blurs of unknown faces. It felt there were only two of them, in the middle of the town, waiting for the bank to never show up.

“So yes, I am absolutely afraid of water. Swimming never crosses my mind even though I am so good at it. Just because I slipped at the edge one time and had hurt my ankle in the process.”

Johnny smiled, as he slipped his lower lips in between his teeth, as if wanting to say something but catching himself not to. But Jaehyun could deduce alright, as he asked-

“You want to tag along after? We usually dance along, my friends swim in the river and one of my friends brings up the radio he bought recently and brags about it. If you like pretentious dancing, getting drunk and catching supper with a bunch of 20 years old, you are most welcome.”

Johnny guffaws out loud, attracting some of the bystanders' squinted eyes. Fucking egotistical American, they might think. But at that moment, Jaehyun couldn’t help but join in with his loud chuckles, as he lifted his hand to cover his ajar mouth.

“I would love that,” Johnny said after climbing off his laughter high.

After what it seemed like ages, Jaehyun had finally found the bank his father had directed in the chit he had been scrunching in his fist. He quickly instructed Johnny how to enter the bank by its back door since the front door was under construction and yet to be fixed. Johnny nodded, taking note of what he said, although his eyes remained fixed on the curls of Jaehyun’s lips. 

“Are you listening properly? I can’t enter the bank with you, so you know you must do it alone.”

Johnny then again bobbed his head absentmindedly, as if he had ingrained everything Jaehyun had blabbered for the past five minutes. Jaehyun knew otherwise. 

“Well, then….”Johnny sighed. Jaehyun shrugged and moved out of Johnny’s way to let him walk to the bank. Among the heft of the crowd, Johnny eventually disappeared as Jaehyun’s legs itched in impatience, wondering how long he would have to wait. 

What crowded the square in the middle of the day, were youngsters and adults alike, drowning in daytime alcohol and spaghetti slathered in sauce. There were middle-aged women, knitting their eyebrows in the middle in the mere annoyance of the heat, as they went on their shopping spree anyway. On the other hand, some old shriveled man laid on some beach chairs, sunbathing under the warm shadow of the sheds of the small bars. 

Jaehyun took it on himself, as he breathed inwardly. He shot a look at the densely populated front of the bank and back to the handles of his bike, pondering on his spontaneous decision. Whether or not, he should do it, was left to the rising heartbeat drumming in his ears. He was not perplexed as he knew what he would do in the next five minutes, yet something held him back. He did know if it was the disappointment that clouded Johnny’s face, or the awkwardness he would have to face the next few days if he acted upon his spontaneity.

Jaehyun, was oblivious to what he did or wanted to do, most of the time. He acted without thinking, and had the chance to regret upon it later on. Perhaps, that was what it had boiled down to, when Jaehyun biked to meet his girlfriend out by the coast, leaving Johnny behind uninformed about his abrupt leave. The music fluttered from a radio in the square, as he rushed in between the roughness of the air, the warmth of the sun sticking to his skin like a thin film. Johnny wouldn’t understand, even if Jaehyun explained, because there was no rational excuse to back it up. 

He regretted when he kissed his girlfriend earnestly, the coos of his friend echoing in his ears like a riot. He was completely unaware of his own doings, and the reason behind it. All he knew that he hadn’t kissed his girlfriend in a while like that, and he regretted every second of it.


End file.
